Kiss Of Reluctance
by josiahyb99
Summary: Jeronica Slow-burn starting from 2x14 "The Hill have Eyes"
1. Ch 1) Moment of Miscommunication

**Ch 1) Moment Of ****Miscommunication**

The Core Four has just arrived at the lodge cabin, up in Shadow Lake. They all got out of the car and paired off. Betty with Veronica, and Archie with Jughead.

"Wow, this is amazing V," Betty says, admiring the cabin's outside appearance.

"If you think this is impressive, wait till you see the inside," Veronica replied, grinning at her bestie. The raven Haired Princess turns towards the driver. "We'll see you at 7 P.M. on Sunday, Andre. And not a moment sooner," she reminded him, leaving no room for opposition.

The driver nodded to his boss's daughter, and turned to the red-head. "Mister Andrews, May I have a word?"

"Uh, Yeah sure what's up?" Archie turned and met the man a considerable distance from the others. He had a feeling Andre didn't want anyone to overhear their conversation.

"I just wanted to inform you that I will be sticking around. Hiram's orders," he explained when he noticed the confused look on the teen's face.

"Okay. Why are you telling me? Wouldn't it be easier for you to go unnoticed if none of us were aware of your presence."

"That's true, but you're rather impulsive. So I thought it best if at least you knew," the man answered honestly.

"Gee, thanks," Archie deadpanned.

"Come on Archiekins. We need your help with our bags," Veronica called out, getting impatient.

"Yeah, alright Ronnie! I'm coming," the red-head replied, rolling his eyes. Archie met up with the rest of the gang, grabbing the girls bags, and following behind Jughead.

"This place is certainly something, Princess," Jughead remarked with a small grin, walking into the cabin, and giving it a brief once over.

"Only the best for my friends and I," the girl responded with a proud smile. "After all we Lodges are known to go above and beyond, Jones."

"I'll say." Betty smiled at her friend. "Thanks again for inviting us on this little vacation, Veronica."

"Of course, B," Veronica replied, grinning at the blonde. "Now, the rooms are all upstairs. Archie's and I's is the first on the left, and Betty and Jughead. Yours will be the first room on the right." She gestured toward the staircase at the back of the room.

"Sounds go-" Betty was cut off by the sound of a phone ringing. They all turned to the beanie wearing teen, who was looking rather sheepish due to the interruption.

"Sorry. I'll just take this outside." He grabbed his phone from his pocket and walked out onto the porch.

"Enjoying your lovers weekend," came the voice on the other side of the line.

"Who is this?"

"It's Cheryl, you hobo," the red head replied, annoyance clear in her tone.

Jughead let out a huge sigh at the interruption. "What do you want Cheryl?"

She sounded much more cheery this time around. "I just thought I should let you know that Betty and Archie shared a kiss in my driveway over the Christmas season. And It looked pretty serious. Like with tongue serious." She smiled into her reflection, wiping some of the extra lipstick off her face. "Anyway, hope you enjoy the rest of your little getaway, ciao!" She hung up, Leaving the Jones boy in stunned silence.

The other three friends were curious, so they followed him outside. Jughead turned towards all of them, an unreadable expression on his face.

"Juggie? What's the matter?"

"That was Cheryl," Jughead replies to his Girlfriend. She said that you and Archie kissed in front of her house over Christmas break." The boy looked at the aforementioned pair, hoping to find confusion. A sure sign that the self appointed queen of their school was just screwing with him out of spite for not being invited to join them. Instead he found identical looks of guilt and on the faces of his girlfriend and best friend. Veronica's face displayed confusion. But not of ignorance of the incident, but because she thought he already knew. A hurt look spread across his face, but it disappeared as soon as it came. He scoffed and began to walk out of the cabin.

Betty ran after him. "Jug wait, it was just a spur of the moment. It didn't mean anything," the blonde explained, trying to reason with her boyfriend.

"I am not mad that you kissed him. We were broken up." Jughead sighed in frustration. "But I had asked you if anything happened with anyone while we were apart, and you lied. Even after I told you about Toni."

Betty sighed in frustration. Can't anything ever just go smoothly for them? "I didn't tell you, cause I thought you'd overreact."

Jughead grinned at her in response. "You're right Betty. I am completely overreacting." He shook his head emphatically, as if getting rid of all his misgivings. "I mean you only kissed the boy that you were completely in love with up until about 2 months ago. That shouldn't make me upset at all," Jughead finished, shooting his girlfriend a look of total disappointment.

Now Betty was the one getting angry. "So you are mad that I kissed him!"

"No! I am not angry because you kissed someone. I'm upset because that person was Archie," Jug reasoned. "My best friend, and I like I mentioned before, the guy you were pining for not too long ago. Do you have any idea of how that makes me feel?" The look of hurt appeared once more.

Betty's eyes were glistening with tears. " I'm so sorry Jug. I never meant to hurt you. It was just a stupid thing that happened on impulse. I promise, it'll never happen again."She was full on crying now, the blonde's sobs causing her whole body to shake uncontrollably.

Jughead hated seeing her cry, and it didn't matter whether she was at fault or not. So he walked back to his girlfriend, and wrapped his arms tightly around her waist, resting his head on hers. Her hands came to lay upon his chest, and her body relaxed as he kept whispering soothing assurances that "it was all gonna be okay." He rubbed her back up and down. "It's fine I am not gonna let this one incident come between us."

Whatever doubt Betty had of his claims was soon crushed, as he lifted her chin with his finger, cupping her face in both hands and kissed her softly, but passionately. "So, we're good?"

He gave her a small smile in return. "Yeah, were good." The Jones boy paused for a moment. Looking deep into her eyes. "I love you Betty. I refuse to let my own insecurities get in the way of our relationship."

The girl next door smiled up at him, her eyes still glossy due to the tears she had shed. "I love you too, Juggie." She kissed him once more.

With Archie and Veronica

The other half of the group had gone up to their room, not wanting to invade on the young sweethearts.

"So Jughead hadn't known about the kiss this whole time?" Veronica asked, truly shocked that Betty had never told him. Archie had told her almost right away. Granted, he was sort of backed into a corner by Cheryl's manipulations, but still. How could Betty not tell him?

"I guess not." Archie was just as surprised as his girlfriend.

"Do you think they are going to be okay?"

"Yeah, totally." The red-head grinned at her. "Even if they break up, you know they are just gonna get back together again. They always do." He wasn't worried. Jug and Betty had already broken up at least twice in the last few months, alone. And they always seemed to be able to work it out.

Veronica thought about that for a moment. She had to say she agreed, but she also wondered what would happen if Jughead did break up with Betty, for good this time. Would he stop hanging out with the three of them, and devote all his time to the serpents? Or would he focus even more of his efforts on stopping her father's plans, now that he didn't have to worry about maintaining a relationship? Then there was Betty. Would she start to have feelings for Archie again? Did she ever actually stop in the first place? Veronica shook her head of those thoughts. No, she scolded herself internally. This was supposed to be a fun weekend away from all the crap that was happening in Riverdale. She was determined to make the best of it. Whatever tension was left between them, The Lodge was gonna put a stop to it, and Veronica had the perfect plan for how to do it.

Archie noticed that Veronica had been spacing out. "Ronnie, are you alright?" He brought her attention back to him.

"Yeah, Sorry, I was just thinking about something."

"What is it?"

She waved her hand at him dismissively. "Nothing. It's not important."

Time Skip (Night)

The Core Four were all gathered in the Lodge's huge living room, sipping on Jalapeno Margaritas. Jughead was with Betty on the couch and Archie and Veronica were sitting on the surrounding chairs. The Jones boy was questioning Veronica about her Father, and the blonde was having none of it. "Come on Jug. You said you wouldn't do this," she exclaimed, frowning at her boyfriend.

He shot her what he thought was a subtle glare, but relented nonetheless. "Fine," He huffed in frustration.

Veronica, who was watching the whole exchange, noticed the look. And she thought that this would be the perfect time for her plan. "So I'm sensing some residual tension. I'm guessing from Cheryl's random act of cruelty earlier?"The Girl leans towards the pair.

The teens in question gave her similar looks of confusion. "What? No." They both replied.

Veronica on the other hand was not going to let their denial get in the way. "Fear you not." She flashed them all a mischievous smile. "For I have the perfect antidote. Clothes off, swimsuits on."

Looks of confusion and apprehension were shared between the remaining three, but in the end, they followed along with the raven-haired mob princess anyway.

Time skip (Jacuzzi)

Betty and Jughead were already in the water on one side. Betty had her Margarita in her hand, her tongue dipping into the glass. While Archie was standing up on the other side, waiting on Veronica. After a few moments, the girl came out of the cabin, walking onto the patio with a white silk robe wrapped around her. The raven-haired princess removed the robe, and allowed Archie to guide her into the water. Both of them sitting down opposite of the other two teens.

Veronica grabbed her drink and took a sip through the straw before putting her plan into place. "So when Archie first told me about the kiss, I was upset." She glanced around the pool of water. "But I absorbed it, and now I bear no ill will toward my beau, nor my bestie," she assured, reaching her hand out to momentarily rest on Betty's shoulder, and giving a glance to the boy behind her. "But has the thought of it still haunted me sometimes? Truthfully, yes." Veronica gestured to Betty and Jughead. "And now you guys are caught up in the aftermath."

Betty's Apprehension had reached a whole new level. She had a feeling that the other girl was planning something, and didn't like where her mind was going at the thought.

On the other hand, Jughead and Archie had no idea what was going on. And were both looking on with curiosity.

"So to clear the air between us," Veronica started up again. She glanced one more at the group, the mischievous grin displayed on her face once more. "Jughead and I... should kiss." After that she took another sip of her drink, looking around to gauge the reactions of her three friends.

"What!?" Archie exasperated in shock. That definitely wasn't what he expected her to say. The red-head turned to her. "Veronica, are you nuts?"

The socialite noticed the look of disbelief. But she just shrugged it off, not really caring at the moment.

Jughead let out a small laugh and smirked at the interaction between the pair. "Now wait a minute." He stands up to face the three. "Veronica and I kissing could help too... What's the sports term Archie?" He smirked at his oldest friend. "Level the playing field," he finished with his hands on his hips.

"But you're not upset Jug?"

"No. I'm not upset." He gave his Girlfriend a look of assurance.

The Cooper girl was doubting the statement now. "Right."

"But I'm human," he reasoned. "What if something happens between us and we get into a fight? In my anger, I might use your kiss with Archie as an excuse for whatever is going on between us."

Betty seemed to actually be considering what he was saying.

"So if I were to kiss Veronica, whatever anger I might have at the potential situation would be misplaced." The Jones boy turned toward his best friend, who was still looking shocked and a little angry. "Come on Archie. It's just a stupid kiss... right?" He says, reminding the red-head of the blondes and his excuse for the incident.

Veronica was having a hard time keeping her laughter in check. It seemed Jughead was on board. Which would make this whole thing a lot easier. She stood up as well, moving to stand next to him.

The cocky smirk on Jughead's face vanished instantly.

Veronica grabbed his face. "Jughead. Don't freak out. Just trust me." She began to lean up to kiss him, but was stopped by Jughead's arms on hers pushing her back. A look of confusion crossed her features.

"Veronica, no stop." He shot her a look that shut down any attempt she would have made to go through with her scheme.

"But, I thought-"

"That I was serious?" A look of incredulousness broke out across his face. " I was kidding. I would never actually do that. I just wanted to mess with Archie a little."

"Oh," Veronica replied dumbfounded. She didn't know what else to say. To be honest, she should have expected this outcome. Jughead wasn't the kind of person to act out in spite. It was actually one of the things she admired about him. But then the other part of her, the more irrational side had started thinking of reasons why he wouldn't kiss her. Did he think she was unattractive. Her feminine wiles seem to work on every straight guy except for him. She was suddenly very self-conscious. The girl looked back up at him. Veronica never realized how tall he was. He practically towered over her, even more so than Archie. Now looking into his eyes, she noticed how blue they really were. The Girl was stuck by the realization that he was actually quite handsome. She could finally see why Toni and Betty were attracted to him. Veronica shook her head of those thoughts however. "I'm so sorry. You're right. I never should have suggested it." The girl shot him a small smile. "After all, two wrongs don't make a right." She turned away from him and sat back down next to her boyfriend, curling up into his side, and continued to sip her drink.

Jughead noticed the twin expressions of relief on his other two friend's faces. "Come on guys. Did you really think I would do that you?"

"I don't know, Jug," Archie responded with a guilty look on his face, feeling ashamed that he ever doubted his friend. "You made a pretty solid argument."

The blonde nodded in agreement. "He's right Jug." Betty also looked ashamed. "You even made me believe you were serious."

"I guess I figured that my two best friends would be able to see right through it anyway," Jughead replied, sitting back down next to his girlfriend.

After the moment faded, an awkward silence passed over the group. No one knew what to say or do next.

To be continued

That's the first chapter. Tell me how you guys liked it. It was my first time writing a romance fan-fiction, so constructive feedback is much appreciated.

Now this is going to start like the show with Bughead and Varchie as the main ships, but eventually, it'll gradually shift into A Jeronica story. I know the official name is Vughead, but I like Jeronica more. Vughead sounds similar to Bughead in my opinion.

Now I am not sure how long this story Is going to be. But if you guys keep showing me that You are interested in it, I will continue for as long as I can.

Have A great day.


	2. Ch 2) Temperatures Rising

**Ch 2) Temperatures Rising**

After The Core Four spent some more time in the hot tub, they paired off once again. And went to their respective rooms. The atmosphere between the couples was tense, but each for different reasons.

**Jughead and Betty's room**

Jughead was laying on the bed in a bathrobe, reading a book. Betty was in the bathroom. Doing what? He was not sure. He knew that she was still annoyed with the stunt that he pulled in the backyard. But considering he did not actually do anything wrong, he did not much care for her attitude. "Did you enjoy that little stunt, Juggie?" Yes, she was definitely mad. That much he could tell from her voice.

"It felt good watching the look on Archie's face." He was clearly amused.

"You know? It really looked like you wanted to kiss Veronica for a moment there." She continued from the behind the bathroom door.

"Did it now?" Jughead was not sure what Betty was trying to pull, but he wasn't about to give her statement any merit. The only reason the teen even went through with his little scheme was because he thought Betty would know him well enough to realize he would never try to hurt her.

"yeah it did." She pulled the bathroom door open slowly. She was standing in what appeared to be a fake black wig, dark red lipstick, and lingerie.

Now Jughead was beyond confused. "What are you doing Betty?" He turned back to continue reading his book.

She was not fazed by the question. "I was thinking. If the thought of actually kissing her crossed your mind, then you should be punished." She began to strut closer to him, moving her hips in a sensual manner.

Jughead wasn't one to not satisfy his curiosity, and he had to admit. The situation was beginning to intrigue him. "And how are you planning to do that?" He took a second to glance up and down her body, as she continued to move closer to the bed.

"Oh, don't worry. You'll find out soon enough." She finally reached the bed and shoved him down on his back, climbing over him until she was straddling his lap. The blonde leaned down until her lips were right next to his ear. "Are you ready for your punishment, Juggiekins?"

That was enough to snap Jughead out of it. This was getting to be too much for him. He didn't know what was going on, but he knew that for whatever reason, Betty was not being herself. He put his hands on the girls forearms and gently pushed her off of him. "What's going on Betty?" He climbed off the bed. Turning around to face her, the boy waited for her response.

The blonde was completely thrown off. She did not expect Jughead to reject her advances. "What do you mean?"

"What do I mean?" He asked, incredulous. "You're not acting like yourself is what I mean."

"How am I not acting like myself?"

"huh, let's see,' he replied sarcastically. "One example is the way you're dressed," he continued counting off on his fingers. "Two, the dark lipstick, three, the over sexuality, and let's not forget. You called me Juggiekins." He was appalled with the girl's behavior, clearly. But he was also worried about her. Why would she act this way? "What was all this about?" He tried to keep his eye contact, but the girl kept glancing away from him, seemingly deep in thought.

"I don't know?" Betty didn't really have an answer that would satisfy the teen. "I just thought you would like it if I spiced up our love life a little." She kept looking anywhere but at him.

"Why would you think that I would like, let alone want that at all?" A thought crossed his mind. "Are you not satisfied with our relationship?" He really did not want to know the answer, but he knew he could not avoid the situation.

Betty kept her head down, and didn't say anything. That was an answer in and of itself. "Oh, I see." Jughead didn't wait any longer. The Jones walked over to the door, opening it before turning back to the blonde. "I'm going to go ask Veronica if there are any spare bedrooms that I can stay in for the weekend. If not, I'll just sleep in the living room."

Jughead's resignation flipped a switch in her mind. "Wait Jug-" She didn't get a chance to finish her statement. The door slammed shut, cutting her off. She was about to get up and go after him, when she decided that it would probably be better for her to give him some space for the moment.

**Archie and Veronica's room**

A Similar conversation was going on in the next room. Archie was still pissed off with Veronica. "What the hell was that about, Ronnie?!"

"What are you talking about Archiekins?" The Raven feigned ignorance.

The Teen was not up for playing games. "I am talking about you wanting to kiss Jughead in the hot-tub. I thought you said that you had forgiven me for kissing Betty. You told me it didn't bother you."

Veronica turned to face Archie, with a look of shock on her face. "Of course it bothered me, Archie. You kissed my best friend, the girl you used to like, and who used to be in love with you not 6 months ago." She was flabbergasted. "I know I have no right to be upset, because we were broken up, but it still hurts."

Archie did not know how to reply to that. "Look, Ronnie. I am sorry. I can't say it enough. But nothing either of us say or do is going to change the fact that it happened, and we can't change it."

Tears were starting to well up in Veronica's eyes. "Would you have ever told me?"

"What do you mean?"

She wiped some of the tears from her eyes. " If Cheryl had never blackmailed you, would you have ever told me?" Now she was the one who was upset. The question has haunted her mind, ever since he had first told her.

The boy was silent. It's not because he never would have told her. Archie did not really know what he would have done if Cheryl had not manipulated him. Truthfully, he never thought of it before.

The boys lack of answer was enough for her however. The fact that he has to think about it says a lot. Veronica tried to wipe the remaining tears from her face, but they just kept falling. "I need some space." She got up and went to the door. As soon as she opened it, Jughead's first appeared in front of her. He was clearly about to knock on the door. "What do you need Jughead?" Veronica asked, trying to hide her sadness from the boy.

The current state of the girl in front of him gave him pause. "I,I was just about to ask-" He changed his mind, and decided to voice his other question. "Are you okay, Veronica?" He tried to show her that he was actually concerned. Whatever bad blood existed between them, he still cared about the girl. And not just because she was his girlfriend's? Ex-girlfriend's? Best friend. He was not sure at the moment.

"I am fine, Jughead." She turned to hide her face from him.

He was not convinced. "Do you wanna go somewhere and talk?"

She was about to say no. She didn't want anyone seeing her in this vulnerable state. She hated when people pitied her. But when she looked up at his face, all she could see was concern. Without another thought, she agreed. And they both left the room. The door closed behind her, as they walked in silence towards the living room.

Even after they sat down on the couch, the silence continued. Jughead didn't want to pester the girl with questions. If she was anything like him, he knew she would start talking when she was ready.

"What did you need earlier?" Veronica was thankful that he was patient with her, but she still was not ready to start bearing her heart and soul to the boy.

The question disappointed him. But he understood why she wanted to change topics, and shift over to him. It seems what she said about them having ' a lot in common,' was true. "I wanted to know if you had any spare bedrooms I could crash in?"

She paused for a moment, wondering if something happened with him and Betty. Was it her fault? Did his teasing cause it? "There are two more on the opposite side of The Lodge." She turned and pointed to the staircases behind them. "You just go up those stairs, and there is the second room on the left. And the first one on the right."

"Thank you."

"No problem. I don't mean to intrude, but did something happen between you and Betty? Was it because of what happened in the Hot Tub?"

"Yes and no." He really did not feel like getting into it. He tried to show her that it was not a big deal, but she would not let it go. She could tell he really needed someone to talk to. So he relented. "Betty thought it would be a good idea to put on a black wig, and act like a seductress." The girl's eyes widened, in response to what he told her, but he didn't seem to notice. "Yeah, I know. It sounds insane. But it's true." He let out a pitiful laugh. "She said she was gonna punish me, because of the idea that I might have actually wanted to kiss you." He started laughing a little harder.

Veronica knew he wasn't trying to hurt her feelings, by laughing at the possibility that he might have actually wanted to kiss her. But for reasons the raven could not explain, she couldn't stop herself from feeling hurt.

Jughead saw the hurt expression,and tried to remedy the situation. "I'm sorry. I shouldn't have laughed." He placed his hands on her shoulder in an effort to comfort her. "I hope you know, I wasn't trying to be mean. I was just trying to point out that I was not the kind of person."

She looked at the hand that was on her shoulder. It was surprisingly warm. Then she looked up at him. "It's fine, Jughead. I know you didn't mean any harm." She looked back down, until she remembered what the boy had said about his Girlfriend. "So Betty brought back Mistress Hyde I see." She grinned at the memory of what Chuck referred to as 'Dark Betty.'

Jughead's eyebrows moved closer together. A sure sign of his confusion. "What are you talking about?"

Veronica hesitated. Betty never told him about that night with Chuck? Wait, he was in the room when Chucked mentioned it at his birthday party. Maybe with all the stuff going on, he just forgot. "You don't remember?"

The Jones shook his head.

"Chuck told everyone about how Betty dressed up in a black wig and some lingerie. It was at your party."

He laughed again. "I think I was focusing more on how I wanted to punch him in the face. To be honest, I don't really remember what he said."

A look of understanding crossed her face. "Fair enough." She waited in silence for a minute. "So did anything else happen? I can't imagine that would be enough to make you not want to be around her?"

"Yeah, she called me Juggiekins." He frowned at the memory. "It was all really weird."

Betty called him Juggiekins? Adding the ins at the end of names is her thing. Is Dark Betty supposed to be an imitation of her or something? Veronica quickly let that train of thought get derailed. It was too creepy to think about. There was a snapping sound coming from in front of her. She followed the fingers up to Jughead's face. He looked concerned. "Sorry, I must have spaced out for a second there. Continue."

There was a small moment of hesitation, while he stared at her for a little while longer, as if he was trying to read her mind. Surprisingly, the look didn't bother Veronica. What did bother her, was her own lack of discomfort. What was going on? True, they never hated or even outwardly disliked each other, but they weren't exactly close either. There was a time when she thought they might become close friends. It was when she told him that they had a lot in common. But after that, nothing really happened between them. Except when he gave her advice on whether to try and reconnect with her Father. They both got pulled into their own drama, and never really had any time to hang out or get to know each other. Yet in moments like these, it felt like they've known each other forever.

"So anyway," he spoke up, pulling her away from her thoughts. "Betty wasn't acting like herself. So I asked her what was wrong. She couldn't answer me. So I asked her if-." He tried to explain, but he seemed to have a hard time getting it out. Veronica didn't rush him, and he appreciated her for it. "I asked her if she was not happy with our relationship."

"Oh. What did she say?"

A despondent look crossed his face,before he tried to hide it with a look of indifference. "She didn't respond to that question either. Which is an answer in and of itself."

Veronica noticed the shift in Jughead's expression, but she decided not to comment on it. "I'm sorry that happened to you Jughead" She was curious though. What about their relationship was Betty unhappy with? It never seemed like it was a problem. Betty never mentioned it in any of their many conversations they have had about their significant others. She made a mental note to ask Betty about it later. When they were alone of course. No need to stir the pot even more.

"yeah. So now, I don't know where we stand. Are we still together? Do we break up? Do we stick together and try to work it out?" Jughead kept glancing back and forth between Veronica and the stairs that led to Betty's room. "I wish I knew what the problem was. It'd make the answer a whole lot more simple." He had a feeling he already knew the reason. It's been at the back of his mind the entire time. He just did not want to accept it. Was she still in love with Archie? Is he really just some placeholder until The Jock decides he wants her? Or is it something else entirely? "Anyway," he starts again, wanting to change the subject. "Why were you crying earlier? Did Archie say something to you?"

"He was mad at me for trying to kiss you."

"Oh."

"He was upset because I had told him that his kiss with Betty didn't bother me, even though it did." She scoffed at the fact that Archie had even for a second thought that it wouldn't bother her. "I mean how could I not be upset by it? Betty was in love with him until about three months ago." She gave Jughead an apologetic glance. He put his hand up, dismissing it. He was not bothered by the statement. He told Betty the exact same thing earlier. "Not to mention the fact that it happened not too long after we split up." She elaborated on her concerns, as fresh tears started to gather in her eyes. "She's my best friend for crying out loud." Her countenance switched to anger as she made her last statement. To put an end to this Shakespearean nightmare, when I asked him if he would have told me, had it not been for Cheryl. You know what he said to me?" The look in Veronica's eyes was less than forgiving.

"What did he say?"

"Nothing, zilch, nada. He couldn't even answer the damn question. Which shows me that he most likely never would have told me. And that is not okay." She gave him a hard stare. "I am telling you, Jones. For possible future reference. Never. Cross. A. Lodge." She warns, putting emphasis on each word. while moving her pointer finger back and forth in front of his face. Her eyes started filling with tears again, but she tried to remain strong. "Because if you do. You will regret it." After that her sobs got the best of her,and she couldn't hold her gaze anymore. She broke down, putting her face in her hands as she leaned slightly off the couch.

He didn't know what came over him, but he moved closer and wrapped his arms around her, and started rubbing her back, making small circles with his hand. She continued to cry for a while. Jughead actually ended up losing track of time.

After they separated, they looked at each other for a second, before deciding that they should call it a night. Jughead moved up the stairs and went to the first spare bedroom, the one on the right. And Veronica, not wanting to be around Archie right now, went to the second spare bedroom, the one on the left. Jughead laid his head down and instantly fell asleep. Veronica, on the other hand, had too much to think about. And it was keeping her awake. Was Betty still in love with Archie? Would they be competing for him once again? Did She still want to be with him after learning that he probably never would have told her about him and Betty. Why was she so comfortable around Jughead? And why was it so easy for her to talk to him? All these thoughts made her feel like she was drowning in her own self doubts. She shut them out. And when she finally fell asleep, it was around 1 A.M.

**Alright guys, and gals. That was the next chapter. I am sorry it took so long. I actually started this chapter a month or so ago, but was unable to find inspiration for the rest. I really wanted to nail the dynamic between Jughead and Veronica. Let me know how I did. As usual, constructive feedback is much appreciated. If anyone had any concerns with the Shakespeare line from Veronica. The reason I had her say that was because in my opinion her character tends to exaggerate things. For instance in season one. When she tells Betty that getting Penelope and Alice in the same room without attacking each other was easy. And that what was actually difficult, was her having to chose which party to go to. Elton John's or some other famous person. It also relates to her and Jughead's tendency to add pop culture references into their speech.**

**On a side note. One of the things that bothers me about Riverdale is the dialogue of Veronica. At times it can be really cringy, and unrealistic. And besides the first chapter, I am going to stray away from doing that with my version of Veronica. I will admit, I don't really like what I have seen of Veronica in the later seasons, and much prefer what she is like in the several fan-fictions that I have read. Please don't feel like I am attacking her character. She has a great amount of potential. This is just my opinion on the character as of now.**

**Pertaining to Updates. Once I finish editing all my current chapters of My Naruto Story: Underestimated Genius, I will try to write at least 1,000 words a day for each story I have. Hopefully, that will mean that you guys won't have to wait so long for updates anymore.**

**I have to say I am pretty proud of this chapter. Considering I wrote it at 2 A.M. Well Anyway. Have a good night, day, or morning, depending on when you are reading this. And I will See you all next time.**


	3. Ch 3) Morning Of Revelations

**Ch 3) Morning Of Revelations**

**Veronica's P.O.V.**

When I woke up, I was both refreshed and anxious. Surprisingly, last night was one of the most blissful sleeps I've ever had. But thoughts of the previous day still plagued my mind. Are Jughead and I friends now? We certainly acted like it last night. Does my revelation about Archie mean we should break up? That was the question I was struggling with the most.

On the one hand, it hurt to know that he would have kept the kiss with Betty a secret from me. We were supposed to trust each other fully. It made me wonder what else he was hiding from me. Was what he told me about never having those kinds of feelings for Betty true? Or was he just telling me what he thought I wanted to hear?

I pushed all those thoughts to the back of my mind. I didn't have the time to deal with them at the moment. It was already 10 o'clock, and I was extremely hungry. We skipped lunch and Dinner yesterday, and my stomach was making it known how much it was displeased with that choice. A thought occurred to me. Jughead must be starving. I laughed at that revelation. Heaven knows that boy is always eating something. He would probably live at Pop's if he could. Thinking about Jughead made me smile for some reason. Maybe it was because our relationship was the only one out of the four of us that was not strained by the events of the last few weeks, as ironic as that was. Our families are literally at war right now.

If Jughead and I were lovers, we'd be just like Romeo and Juliet. I can hear it now. "Our story begins in fair Riverdale. A war raging between the Northside and the Southside. A.K.A. The Lodges and Jones's." The thought made me laugh. The parallels were definitely there. Forbidden love between two star crossed lovers. My Dad would freak out if jughead became my boyfriend. He'd probably say something along the lines of, "Mija, how could you bring that boy into this family." He would turn to give her a reprimanding glare, and remind me that Jughead is the one in the way of his plans to rebuild the Southside of Riverdale.

That'll never happen though. So nothing to worry about. I finally left the bed and headed out of the bedroom and to the kitchen to get something to eat. As I was leaving the room I ran into something sturdy. Once I was able to focus my gaze, I realized it was Jughead. I almost tripped and fell backwards, but he caught me by the arm to steady me.

His gaze met mine, and a small smile was displayed on his face. "You okay, Princess?" He laughed and headed down the stairs. I stood still to the spot for a second, before I pulled myself together. I started walking down the stairs and noticed Jughead. He was staring at me, like he was waiting for me to say something. "Yeah I'm fine. You just shocked me is all." I passed him on the steps. "Let's go get some food, Jones." I could hear him laughing behind me. It was kind of weird. We had this sudden easy going camaraderie to our relationship now.

We turned into the kitchen and started looking through the cupboards for anything to make. Pancake batter, bacon, eggs, anything really. But I had forgotten that we have not been here for a year. We'd be lucky to even find anything non-perishable. Jughead let out a groan. "There's nothing here Veronica." I turned around and saw a small pout on his face. "I am running on fumes here, princess." He smiled. " I need food. Or are you planning on starving us here." Jughead started walking towards me. "You, veronica are truly wicked. You know food is my one true love." He couldn't keep the straight face, and began laughing uncontrollably.

"Believe me, Jones." I smirked at him. "I wouldn't dream of keeping your soulmate away from you." Our laughter must have made a lot of noise, because we both stopped when we heard Betty and Archie's doors open. After a moment, they were both in the kitchen, looking at us like we were crazy. Jughead got a hold of himself before I could. "Why are you guys looking at us like that?" I stopped to hear their answer.

It was Betty who answered for the two of them. "I think we are just surprised to see you guys enjoying each-other's company." She kept looking back and forth between jughead and I, as if she expected one to deny it. Honestly, I was expecting the same thing from Jughead at any moment. Funny enough he just shook his head. "Veronica and I are friends." He said it like it was the most obvious thing in the world. "Why wouldn't we enjoy each-other's company?"

I turned from Jughead to the other two. I was curious about what their answer might be. It was Archie who spoke this time. "It's just, we thought you guys hated each other." Betty finished for him. "Or at the very least disliked each-other."

I shook my head no, and Jughead reminded them that it was their parents who didn't like each-other, not them. I had to say I agreed. "But since when are you guys friends?" Betty didn't seem to want to let this go for some reason. I decided I should ask her about it later.

"Look Betty, Veronica and I might not be close as you and her or Archie and I." He waved his arm in Archies general direction. "But we're still friends." Jughead kept staring at Betty like he was trying to figure out what she was thinking. I figured I better change the subject, before people start saying things they don't mean.

"If you must know, we were talking about how there is no food in this cabin." I smiled at the trio. So I say we all take a trip into town and get some breakfast at the local diner." I walked up to the room I was going to share with Archie so I could get changed. Turning my head over my shoulder, I assured them that "they needn't worry. It is 100% Veronica Lodge approved." I then disappeared into the bedroom looking for an outfit to put on.

Now that I was in the room and had some more time to myself, something flashed through my mind. Was that jealousy I saw in Betty when Jughead said that him and I were friends? What was up with that? Did she think I was trying to steal him or something? The idea made me angry. She'd be one to talk. I am not the one who kissed her boyfriend. Granted they were not together at the time. But Betty was supposed to be my best friend. Lately we've acted more like friends for the sake of convenience. Her and I both have been too busy to spend time together, and maybe Betty was beginning to resent me for it. After I had chosen my outfit, I headed into the shower.

**Jughead's P.O.V.**

Betty was acting even more strange today then usual. I wanted to get to the bottom of why, so I brought her back to the room so we could talk. I sat her down on the bead, and kneeled in front of her, so I could look at her face to face. "Are you okay Betty?" I put my hands on her thighs and started rubbing small circles with my fingers. I hoped she would see that I was trying to comfort her and that she could open up to me.

She gave me a sad smile, and I could see that tears were beginning to well up in her eyes. "I feel like I am losing you, Juggie." The look on her face was heartbreaking to see. It was like she was losing all hope. "You could never lose me, Betty." I brought my left hand to her face to wipe away the tears. "I love you."

The emotion on her face changed to one of hope. "So you're not going to break up with me?"

I turned my head down, unable to look her in the eyes. A sigh of frustration escaped my lips. "I think it's for the best that we are not together." I was finally able to look at her again, and I wish I hadn't. The hopeful look on her face was gone. And all I could see was anger, and confusion.

Betty stood up from the bed abruptly, and started to pace the room. She turned back to face me after a few minutes. And I could see that she was pissed off with me. "How can you Say that, Jughead!? My voice suddenly escaped me,and I was not able to respond. "How can you say that You love me, and then tell me that we shouldn't be together!? She started shaking so I did the only thing I could think of at that moment. I walked forward and put my arms around her. "I do love you Betty. I always will." I kept whispering to her softly, until she calmed down. I pulled away,soI could look at her once more. "You will always be one of my best friends, and my first love." Another sigh escaped my lips. "But we're not good for each-other. You need someone who can extinguish the darkness in you. Not someone who will only expand on that darkness."

The tears continued to fall down her face. "What are you talking about, Juggie? She shook her head, as if her body was rejecting my reasoning. "You're one of the only good things in my life. You're the one who always comforts me and makes me feel safe."

"And I can still do that as your friend. Just like before we got together. But a romantic relationship between us was a mistake." She looked like she was about to retort, so I put up my hand to show her I was not done. "Don't get me wrong. I am grateful that we had each-other to lean on when we needed it. But it shouldn't have gone past that." After I was done, I grabbed some clothes and headed to the door. She grabbed my shoulder, and turned me to face her. I could tell she was desperate. "Please, Juggie. Tell me what I can do to change your mind."

"I am sorry Betty. But I have made up my mind." I left the room and headed back to the room I slept in last night. I needed to get washed up before we went out to eat.

**Time Skip (Veronica's P.O.V.)**

All four of us had showered and gotten dressed in fresh clothes. The town was only a mile away so we decided to walk. I paired up with Betty, While Archie was paired with Jughead. We were a far enough distance away for Jughead and Archie not to be able to hear us. I couldn't get over how Betty was acting lately. After she had finished getting ready, and she came down the stairs, I could tell that she had been crying. Her eyes were still slightly puffy and she kept siffling. It was subtle, but I could see it. "What's wrong, B?"

She turned my way, and there were tears prickling at the corner of her eyes. She let out a pitiful laugh, and I could tell that she was in a lot of pain. "Jughead broke up with me." Her statement gave me pause. Jughead broke up with her?

"Did he say why?" I started rubbing her shoulders, in a way that I hoped was comforting.

"Yeah, he did." I looked at Betty, waiting for her to continue. "He said I needed someone who would help me fight my darkness, rather than someone who would strengthen it." I nodded at the revelation. It made sense to me at least. Jughead was not a bad person by any means. But there was a dark atmosphere to his life. And I agreed. Betty should not be a part of that kind of lifestyle. That was the original reason he broke up with her the first time, wasn't it? "Yeah, whatever that means,"she continued. A look of fake joy passed over her face. "Oh, but don't worry Betty. Even though we never should have gotten together, we will always be friends, and I'll always be there for you." She continued to reenact the conversation she had with the boy. Her impersonation left much to be desired. Her voice wasn't deep enough, I noticed. Woah, when did I start paying attention to things like the pitch of Jughead's voice.

"If it makes any difference. Jugheads one true love will always be food, anyway." I laughed at my own joke, but it didn't affect Betty the same way. She glared at me. "Sorry." I reached for my pearls. It was my normal nervous habit. I looked up at her apologetically. "Too soon?" She laughed again. "Yeah, a little bit."

The silence between us after that was both comfortable and uncomfortable. Betty clearly didn't want to talk about it anymore. Even if she did, I wouldn't have a clue what to say to make her feel better. "So are you going to break up with Archie?" The question froze me to the spot.

"What do you mean?"

Betty's face turned down. She mumbled something inaudible under her breath. "I am sorry. I didn't hear that."

She turned back up to look me in the eye. "Archie told me about your guy's conversation after you and Jughead left last night. He's convinced you are going to break up with him."

I had to think about that for a second. Did I want to break up with Archie? He made me happy, but I was unsure if what he said about kissing Betty not meaning anything was true. I knew I loved him, and I believed he loved me. "No, I am not going to break up with Archie." I let a small smile show on my face. "I believe we can work out our issues."

Betty smiled at me. 'That's good. No need for both of our relationships to implode." My smile turned into a frown. "Your relationship with Jughead didn't implode," I reminded the blonde. "It merely transformed back into a friendship."

Betty seemed to disagree. "Like that's any better." A look of mirth crossed her countenance. "I still love him. I still want to be with him. I don't think our relationship was a mistake like he does." The tears returned to her eyes. "How am I supposed to go back to being just friends, when all I want is to be with him."

I wasn't sure how to answer the question, so I figured I would ask one of my own. "If you still want to be with him, why did you tell him that you were unsatisfied with your guy's relationship."

Betty shook her head once more. "That was just a moment of hesitation. How was I supposed to answer that question, when he asked it?"

I couldn't believe she just asked that question. My voice was full of sarcasm as I answered her. "I don't know, maybe assure him that you are satisfied, instead of hesitating when he asks."

Betty leveled me with a glare "I thought you were on my side, V?"

A noise of irritation left my throat. "I am not on anyone's side, B." I shook off the irritation. "The real problem is what is going on with you lately, Betty? What's with all the theatrics?" I could see that Betty was confused, so I elaborated. "Dressing up like mistress Hyde again." I began counting off on my fingers. "The way you went off on me a while back, your attitude towards yours and Jugheads relationship, and kissing Archie." I put my hand down and looked the blonde square in the face. "Why have you been acting like this?"

"I don't know. I've just been under a lot of pressure lightly, and it has been affecting my relationships."

"Well you need to figure out what it is that is causing you so much stress. Because whatever it is, it's making it very hard to want to be around you." I gave her what I hoped was a comforting smile. I wanted her to know I was not trying to attack her in any way. I prayed she wouldn't take offence to what I was about to say next. "Jughead's right though. You guys should not be together." She was about to lash out,I could tell. So I silenced her, by putting my hand up. "You both have some major issues you have to work on, before you open yourself up to other people in that way. It can be damaging if you are not ready." I grabbed the girl into a hug. "Trust me, I know."

Betty pulled away after a few moments. She was still crying,but I think what I said was starting to move gears in her head. "Being involved with Jughead in that way. And being a part of that life is just going to destroy you in the end, B?" I looked into her eyes, wanting her to take what I said to heart. "I only say this, because I care about you. And I want you to be happy. I just don't think it is supposed to be with Jughead." She nodded her head, but the tears continued to fall. I could tell it was going to take a long time for her to move on from him. I nudged her shoulder, with a small smile on my face. "Remember, no matter what. Jughead cares about you, and will always be there for you." Her lips turned up a little at that, but it was a far cry from a smile.

**Jughead's P.O.V.**

Archie and I were walking a few feet from the girls, and I could tell their conversation was a serious one. I could only imagine what they could possibly be discussing. Was it about Betty and I's breakup? Or was it something else entirely? I turned to my other best friend. "I just wanted to let you know that Betty and I broke up. And before you ask, no it wasn't because of you." It wasn't entirely a lie, I suppose. Part of me did think they had feelings for eachother,and that Archie was a better match for Betty, than I was. But he already had Veronica.

Archie glanced at me, a pitiful look on his face. "I am sorry about that, Jug." He rubbed my shoulder, trying to comfort me. It was weird, so I shrugged his hand off, and stepped away from him a little.

"It's fine. The main reason was I don't think we're good for each other. My life as it is now, is only going to hurt her," I reasoned.

There was a brief moment of silence. "Isn't that why you guys broke up the first time?"

"Yeah. and it should have stayed that way. Getting back together was a mistake."

"Come on Jug, don't say that. You guys'll work it out." He was trying to be reassuring, and I was grateful for that. But he really did not seem to understand.

"No, you don't get it Archie. What I mean is her and I being together at all was a mistake. It's caused a lot more harm than good. Better to end it now, than before someone ends up hurt worse."

Archie looked like he didn't believe me. "And you're sure you're okay with that? This is really what you want?"

I nodded confirming my previous statement. "Yes. It's for the best." I gave the red head a pat on the back, and with a smile, I told him, "Don't worry. It'll work itself out in the end, and you'll see it was the right thing to do." My own confidence was a bit of a shock to me. I still loved Betty. A part of me always will. But I am right. Us being together was not good for anyone. Especially the two of us. Betty will see that, or she won't. But I know one thing. I am not going to change my mind.

**Alright that is it for this chapter. As you can see, I am doing a little experimenting with writing in first person. Let me know how it turned out, and whether you enjoyed it or not. As always, constructive criticism is much appreciated. Have a great day,and I will see you next time.**


	4. Ch 4) Jughead's Annoyance

**Ch 4) Jughead's Annoyance**

**Jughead's P.O.V.**

If one were to say the atmosphere during breakfast was awkward, that would be an understatement. The tension in the air was tangible. For Jughead, it seemed if he were to punch the air for whatever reason, the boy would have broken his hand. Nobody at the table had any idea of what to say. The group waited in silence, perusing the menu until the waitress showed up to take their orders. After she left the silence continued, as they just sat there, occasionally taking sips of their drinks.

"Come on guys," Jughead spoke up, trying to ease the situation. They all turned to face the boy. " There is no reason for us to act like this." He gave them all one of his sincere smiles. "We're friends. That fact has not changed just cause Betty and I broke up."

Betty returned the smile. There was a twinge of sadness that Jughead noticed in her eyes. But that was to be expected. He was sad as well. Just because he knows he did the right thing, doesn't mean his feelings for Betty automatically go away. At best he is just ignoring them for the moment. "You're right, Juggie." Betty frowned as the nickname crossed her lips. The girl turned towards the red-head. "What's been going on with you Archie?"

The boy in question lifted his head, and a slight grimace crossed his features. But then it disappeared as fast as it came. He shrugged. "Nothing much. Just working alongside Veronica's Father. Hopefully gaining his respect, and approval." The red-head glanced at the Lodge girl, a hopeful smile on his face.

Veronica reached her hand across the table, and grasped Archie's. "You are Archiekins," she assured with a wide smile on her face. "Daddy speaks highly of you to my Mother." Jughead scoffs at this, causing the girl to turn and glare at him. "Do you have something you want to say Jones?"

The glare does not phase him. Veronica was not as intimidating as she thought she was. It absolutely boggled his mind how many people feared her. Her actions actually made him laugh. "I'm sorry," he replies, still laughing. "I just can't imagine daddy dearest ever approving of someone like Archie." Jughead shoots a glance at the red-head. "No offence Archie," he says trying to placate him. "You are a great guy. But you are impulsive, and reckless." He turns back to the ravenette. "From what I have seen of Hiram Lodge, he is at best cold, and calculating. You and him would not mesh well."

Veronica looked put off by the statement. "Are you accusing my Father of being a liar?"

Jughead stared at the girl like it was the dumbest question he had ever heard. " Your Father is a Liar, Veronica. You kind of have to be to be convicted of fraud and embezzlement." Veronica was silent after that. Jughead couldn't tell if it was because she knew he was right, or if she was just being stubborn. An alert sounded on the boy's phone, letting him know he had received a text. According to his dad, Hiram has chosen to let them keep the trailer park. He let his gaze leave the phone screen, and frown crossed his features.

They all noticed the expression, but Archie was the one to speak up. "What's wrong Jug?"

"That was my Dad," Jughead replied. "Apparently Hiram has decided to let us keep Sunny Side Trailer Park."

Veronica's face displayed shock. "I'm confused." Jughead turned to look at her. "You're not going to be homeless isn't that a good thing?"

"It would seem that way wouldn't it, princess." There was no humor in the boy's tone this time. The other three inhabitants at the table had matching looks of confusion. "It's obviously a smokescreen." With the anger rising in Jughead, he had to let it out somehow. His fist smashed into the table. The rest of the group jumped in their seats at the action. The Jones hopped over the booth, and began to leave the diner.

Betty pushed Archie out of their side of the booth, so she could go after the teen. She ran up and grabbed Jughead by the arm, making him face her. "Where are you going Jug?" She was worried, he could tell. But there wasn't time for him to deal with it right now. "I am going home." He looked over Betty's shoulder, and glared at the daughter of his enemy. "He's obviously trying to buy my silence, again!"

Veronica had since gotten up, following after the boy just like the blonde. She sighed in frustration. "Oh my gosh, Jughead! How much of a narcissist are you? I am sick and tired of your vendetta against my Father!"

Jughead's gaze on Veronica softened. He shouldn't be taking his anger out on her. "Look Veronica. I know he is your Dad and you want to trust in him. Hell, I am the one who told you that you should." His look hardened once more, but he looked away this time. He didn't want her thinking he was angry with her. "But your dad is trying to take over the southside," he reminded her. " And I am the only one standing in his way of doing that."

"Yeah, bu-," Jughead cut off Veronica's reply.

"Are you really going to stand there, and tell me that he would do this without an ulterior motive." The Jones gave them all one last look,before taking off, out the door.

**Veronica's P.O.V.**

All she could do was watch Jughead leave. She had to admit he was right. Her Father wouldn't just buckle under like that. And she knew he wasn't angry at her, but her dad. But whether it be stubbornness or anger at his claims, she didn't want to believe what he said. Her Father is not the greatest person, she could admit. But he is trying to become 'legitimate' as her mother would say. And Jughead constantly getting in his way, is making it harder for him. He should just be happy, that her daddy is letting him keep his home. The southside needs to be reinvented, so that it could be built up, and no longer wallow in darkness. As unlikely as it sounded, she believed that what her Father was doing was going to help people. She was proud to be a part of it. Sooner or later Jughead would have to accept this.

Archie reached out a hand and rubbed her shoulder comfortingly. "Are you okay, Ronnie?" She turned to the read-head, and gave him a small smile. "If it means anything, at least Jughead is not upset with you."

He would be though, Veronica realized. If Jughead knew she was working alongside her parents in their plans to change the southside, he would be just as, if not more furious with her. Would he still want to be her friend? Or would he feel betrayed? The thought made her uncomfortable for some reason. What would she do if his anger was suddenly redirected at her? She didn't want to find out. She hoped to God that he never would.

Their arguments had always been playful. Usually they were about what book was better? In Cold Blood? Or, Breakfast At Tiffany's? Or even what movies should be considered classics, and which should be thrown in the trash to be forgotten for all time. Veronica rested her hand on top of the red-head's. "It's fine, Archiekins. Jughead needs to get over it. He's lucky daddy is letting him keep his home." Veronica was growing tired of the silence,and she was starving. She shrugged off the boy's hand and walked back towards their booth. "Let's forget about it, and enjoy our food."

**That's it for this chapter. Sorry it's short, but I wanted to kick off one of the main plot points for the story, and I felt that this was a good place to end it. As for the rest of this story, it will mostly be from Veronica's point of view. I noticed most people tend to write mainly in Jughead's. But I feel that only a few ever nail it. So I am going to try to avoid that in my story,and only write Jughead when knowledge of Jughead's thoughts are necessary.**

**Like I said, this is a slow-burn. So their romance won't start for a while, but it is already building with their minor interactions with each other. As always constructive criticism is much appreciated.**

**See you guys next time.**


	5. Ch 5) Family Games and L Or D Situations

**Ch 5) Family Games And Life Or Death Situations**

**Veronica's P.O.V.**

After Jughead had gone back home, everything got worse. The tension during their breakfast remained, only broken by mundane small-talk. When they got back to the lodge, things seemed to be brightening up. Archie and her were back to normal. His anger at Jughead and her almost kiss had faded to nothing. And the trio had even enjoyed a few games of truth or dare. As well as played a few rounds of uno, and yahtzee. Things were great, and then everything went to shit.

They were in the middle of a round of uno, when there was the distinct sound of shattering glass. Before they knew what was happening, the trio was surrounded by 3 different men, all wearing ski masks. "Is there anyone else here?" One of them questioned, loudly. He pointed a gun at her, daring them to try anything. Veronica was terrified. She'd never been in a situation like this. It didn't help that now there were only 3 of them, and of course it had to be the gang-banger who was the one missing. Thinking of Jughead helped Veronica realize that she really has not hung around him since she moved to Riverdale at all. The thought that they may never be close friends if she did not make it out of this alive made her sad.

She wondered if his affiliation with his gang gave him an edge in this situation like she had previously considered. Sure Archie was tough, but he was also reckless. She turned to the boy. Please don't do anything stupid Archie. She prayed to God that he wouldn't. Her attention was brought to her other friend. Veronica could see out of the corner of her eye that Betty was shaking. Huh, you'd think her experience with the black hood would have made her numb to this sort of thing.

Since nobody answered, the man he asked again, much angrier this time. "I asked you if anyone else was here!?" Veronica turned back towards the man, and the gun that was pointed at her.

"No, there is nobody else?" The man put his gun down,and let out a sigh of relief.

"Good," he pointed the gun back at her. "Give us all the money and anything valuable you have here." Veronica wasn't sure what was making her brave, or stupid. But she shot the man a look that seemed to say, 'are you dumb?'

"We don't have any money here," she scoffed under her breath. "This is one of my family's vacation spots." Her eyes widened slightly, when she thought of an idea to get rid of the men. They didn't seem to notice the change. "But I might have a few things of value upstairs." The man's eyes rose momentarily. "If you just let me go and get them, I'll be right back. They'll fetch you a pretty penny at the jewelry store." She gave all the men a glance. "Or pawn shop," she added as an afterthought. "Whatever you miscreants prefer." Seriously what was making her act so brave right now? Here she is, possibly about to be killed, and she has the gall to mock them.

The man standing in front of Veronica, took a few steps towards Betty. "Be back here in 2 minutes," he demanded. "Or your pretty blond friend gets a bullet in the head." The man emphasized his point by pressing the barrel of the gun to Betty's temple. The girl instantly stopped shaking, probably paralyzed with fear. Archie turned a glare on the man, and if looks could kill, Veronica figures they'd all be dead.

"If you lay a finger on her," Archie threatens, gritting his teeth. All three men look unimpressed by the red head's threat.

"You'll what?" The man pulls out a second gun, and points it at him. A dark chuckle escaped his lips. "What are you going to do, boy wonder?" Veronica could tell that Archie was scared, but his desire to keep Betty safe seemed to give him strength. Would Archie be that protective over her? What is she even thinking? Of course he would. He would be protective over any of his friends if they were in danger.

"I promise I'll be right back down," she assured the men. Veronica left the room and headed up the stairs. She stopped when she heard a voice behind her. It was one of the men.

"Wait a minute." He came up beside her. "I'll go with you, and make sure you don't try anything stupid."

Veronica turned toward him. "Suit yourself." She continued walking up the stairs, with the man following close behind. When she got inside the room, he warned her that he'll be staying in the doorway, and watching her closely. Dumbass, she chided in her mind. Waiting at the door makes her plan much easier.

Veronica walked over to the other side of the bed, and knelt down in front of a small dresser. She opened the bottom drawer. By the grace of God,the jewelry that she had left the last time her family visited was still there. As she was taking it out, she slid her hand underneath the drawer and activated the silent alarm. Thank God her father always had security precautions wherever he went. She turned her head away from the man, and a small triumphant smile crossed her face. Shadow Lake police will be here in 5 minutes. Now she just has to stall the men until they arrive. "Here they are," she says lifting her hand with the jewelry, so the man could see. He nods in confirmation, and gestures for her to head back down stairs.

The ravenette stands up and allows the man to lead her back to the living room. Once in the living-room, he gestures for Veronica to sit back down, and not to move for any reason. In her peripheral vision, the girl notices that Archie was about to make a move. She frantically shoots him a look that she hopes tells him not to do anything.

The man holding the guns, lowers his weapons and walks back in front of Veronica. Why was he so focused on her specifically? It's like he already knew who she was. "Why are you doing this?" She asked. Her voice trembled,and her throat seemed to close up. Her previous bravado was failing her now. Ironic considering the circumstances. The police should be here any minute now. And thanks to her Father's influence,they knew to be discreet. All 3 men glared at her.

"Because I am sick and tired of people like you and your family." He started to circle around the trio. "You come in and just do and take anything you want. Who cares if people are hurt in the process." Veronica's brows furrowed in confusion. "Your Father, Hiram Lodge. He ruined all our lives," the man explained, waving his gun at his companions,and then gesturing to himself. "Our parents worked for him, and they lost everything when he went to jail!"

Now it all made sense. "But how did you know I was here?" The man looked at her, an evil grin on his face.

"It just so happens, that when you were having breakfast at the diner, so were we. We overheard the waitress mention your name was Lodge. And everyone knows your family owns this place. So we figured you must have been staying here for the weekend." His grin became more sinister. The man pressed the barrel to the center Of Veronica's forehead. "How lucky we are that we get to take revenge on Hiram Lodge, by killing his precious princess?" Veronica's courage returned to her at the moment. A smug grin took over her face.

"Are you sure that is such a good Idea," she replied. Just need to stall for another minute or so. "My daddy is not a very forgiving man." Her tone was on the border of calm, and threatening. "If you hurt me, he would most definitely make it his goal in life to hunt you down like the dogs you are, and have you killed." Veronica made a show of standing up. The gun was still pressed to her forehead, but she could see even through the mask that the man was nervous. She stepped even closer to him, showing him that she did not fear him one bit. "Go ahead," she dared, smiling up at him through her lashes. "Pull. The. Trigger," she dares once again, emphasizing each word.

The next moment went by in a flash. The man lowered his gun, obviously too afraid to incur the wrath of Hiram Lodge. The cops snuck through the back door and tackled his two accomplices. Before they could grab him though, he dropped the gun and bolted out the front door.

Archie took advantage of the situation, grabbed the gun the man had dropped, and ran after him. "Archie, Wait," both Veronica and Betty called out, chasing after the red-head. They lost track of him in the darkness and headed back into the lodge. After what felt like forever they heard the sound of a gunshot ring through the air. Archie returned moments later, and Veronica released a breath she hadn't even realized she'd been holding. Both girls wrapped their arms around him in a sort of group hug.

After Veronica released him, she slapped him in the arm. "What the hell were you thinking?" She reprimanded. " You could have gotten yourself killed!" Betty nodded in agreement with the ravenette. Archie reached behind and scratched the back of his head, a nervous look on his face.

"Look I am sorry, okay." He put his arms up to placate them. "It's just when he threatened you guys, it made me angry. So I wanted to make sure he couldn't get away." Both Veronica and Betty shook their heads in disapproval.

"We heard a gunshot," Betty replied. She was anxious, Veronica could tell. There was a quiver in the blonde's voice when she spoke again. "You didn't shoot him, did you?" Archie looked at both girls like they were insane.

"No, of course not." He shook his head at them. "It was Andre." Veronica's eyes widened in response. "He stuck around to make sure we stayed safe." The red head focused solely on Veronica. "Your dad ordered him to," he explained. Veronica let out a sigh of frustration.

"Of course he did." She would never admit it but she was thankful. The man probably would have gotten away, had Andre not been there. Or worse, he might have hurt Archie. She gave the red-head a soft smile. "I am just glad you are safe, Archiekins. Just don't scare me like that, okay." She turned around when she felt a hand on her shoulder. It was one of the cops.

"Maam, do you know any of the people who tried to rob you?"

"All they said was that they lost everything because of my Father," she replied, shrugging her shoulders. "I'm afraid, there was nothing else that told me anything. They never even took off the masks."

"Would you be able to identify them without the masks?"

"Doubt it," Veronica replied, with an apologetic smile. "But I guess I could try." Veronica looked behind her at the men who had recently had their masks removed. They were glaring daggers at her, but the sight of them in handcuffs removed any fear she previously had at what they could do to her. She shook her head. "Sorry, don't recognize them."

The cop nodded, giving her his thanks anyway, and left out the door. His partner followed shortly behind, ushering the cuffed men outside and to their squad car. Veronica wondered once more about how Jughead might have dealt with the situation. Would he have scolded her for acting so stupid in the face of possible death? Or would he have done the same thing? She smiled at the thought that he would have probably done something even more crazy than her. Veronica was brought out of her musings by one hand on her shoulder, and another hand grabbing hers.

She looked up to see both of her friends, with twin looks of concern on their faces. Betty spoke first. "Are you okay, V?" She started to rub the ravenette's arm up and down in a comforting manner. Veronica stared at the blonde, blinking at her, owlishly. "You were spaced out for a while there," the girl explained, a small relieved smile on her face. Veronica shrugged Betty's hand off of her.

"I'm fine, B," she replied with a gracious smile on her face. "I appreciate the concern." Archie's hand was still on her shoulder. She grabbed it and held it firmly, intertwining their fingers. "I say we call it a night though. We've had enough excitement for now." She smiled at Betty once more, and then she was pulling Archie up the stairs, toward their shared room. "See you tomorrow, Betty," she called back over her shoulder, as the bedroom door closed.

"Night guys." The blonde's muffled response came through the door. Archie and Veronica walked over to the bed, got under the covers and were asleep instantly. It had been a long day and neither of them had enough energy to change into their pajamas. Veronica figured she would regret it in the morning. But for now, she couldn't be bothered.

**Alright guys, that's the end of this chapter. I know that the thugs had no connection to the Lodges in the show. But they do for the sake of this story. Let me know how you liked it, or didn't like it. More specifically let me know if I captured Veronica's personality well. As well as how I could have done better. Have a great day, and I'll see you next time.**


End file.
